Feather-sorter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. PENNER.

FEATHER SORTER.

No. 335,144. Patented Feb. 2, 188.6.

W/fnesses: I 3 I I W W 7 :9 I

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N. PETERS, Phala-Ldhngrnphcn Washingmn, D. c.

(No Modl.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

H- PENNER. FEATHER SORTER.

No. 335,144. Patented Feb. 2. 1886.

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llmrnn STATES- PATENT Unmet.

HERMAN PENN ER, OF MILWAUKEE, VVISOONSIN.

FEATH ER- SORTER.

PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335.1%4, dated February2, 1886.

Serial No. 168,687. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMAN PENNER, of the city of Milwaukee. in thecounty of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Feather Sorters; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to makeand use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, andto the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to that class of machinery employed for separatingthe coarse quilled feathers and heavy impurities from the down and finefeathers, and for grading the latter according to their size and weight.

It consists, essentially, of a hood designed to be applied to any of thecleansing and renovating machines commonly used, or to any convenientform of agitating device, said hood being provided with a screen orslats and connected with a blower.

In the accompanying drawings like letters refer to the same parts in theseveral figures.

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of my improved sorter appliedto a common form of renovator. Fig. 2 is a like section of a portion ofthe device shown in Fig. 1, showing longitudinal slats in connectionwith the screen in the hood. Fig. 3 is a hori'zontal'section on the line00 m, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the device for adjustingthe slats at or near the opening into the hood.

A represents the cylindrical case of an ordinary renovator to which myimprovements are applied. It is mounted upon a suitable frame, F, and isprovided, in the usual way, with a rotary agitator, B, having radialarms b b, and axially journaled in said case A. Openings or screens 0are provided in the ends of said case A, or in any other convenient partthereof, to allow the dust and dirt in the shown in Fig. 3.

For the purpose of cleansing and renovating feathers steam-jets areprovided within the case A, and the arms I) b and shaft of the agitatorB are made hollow to receive steam. As these parts have no essentialconnection with my improvements, it will not be necessary toparticularly show or describe them herein.

.That part of the machine hereinbefore de' scribed is common inrenovators in general use, and I make no claim thereto per 86.

My improved sorting and grading device or attachment may be described asfollows:

D is a large pyramidal hood, formed of any suitable material-such assheet metal-and mounted upon case A, over a large rectangular openingtherein, and communicating at the top with the central opening in anexhaustfan, E, Fig. 1.

G is the blast-pipe leading from said fan, and having at its dischargingend an upward curve or bend, so as to direct the blast there fromagainst an adjustable leaf, H, horizontally hinged to the ceiling at a,and supported at any desired inclination thereto and to said blast by acord, h, which passes over a pulley, 2', depending from the ceiling, andis fastened to said leaf H at or near its lower edge.

e is a door opening, in the usual way, into the draft-pipe of saidblower, and L is aslide controlling an opening in the side of hood D,Figs. 1 and 2.

N represents a coarse removable wire screen, placed, as seen in thedrawings, through an opening in the side of hood D, over the large Iopening therefrom into case A. I provide a number of these screens N, ofvarying coarseness, according to the sizes or grades of feathersdesired.

0 c are adjustable slats, pivoted at their ends in case A,longitudinally thereto, and preferably just below screen N, Figs. 2 and3. They are connected at one end by a rod, d, through which they are setat any desired inclination by means of the screw and clamp nut, g,protruding through a curved slot, 0, formed in the end of case A, Fig.4:.

The slats c c, if desired, may be placed above the screen N, or bothscreen and slats may be located above their position shown in thedrawings in hood D without changing the principle or operation of myinvention.

My sorting device may be used as an at- I by the same or a separatemachine, and put in readiness for sorting and grading, are placed withincase A, a screen, N, having meshes of the proper size to permit feathersofthe desired size to pass through it, is interposed between said caseand hood D, and the blower E and agitator B set in motion. The latter,revolving in the direction indicated by the arrows,

. machine.

Figs. 1 and 2, causes the feathers to circulate in the same direction,and as they pass the opening intohood D the draft produced by blower Edraws the lighter and smaller feathers up through screen N into saidhood and blower, from which they are discharged through the blast-pipe Gagainst the inclined leaf H, while all heavy impurities and coarsefeathers are retained in case A. The inclination of said leaf H is soadjusted by means of cord h as to give the proper direction to thedraft, and to cause the feathers to be deposited as desired, the lighterones falling farther from, and the heavier ones nearer to, the machine,thereby arranging themselves according to their weight.

The draft through hood D is regulated by varying the speed of blower Eand opening the door e and slide L more or less, as required.

To insure against quills being drawn through the screen N into the hoodD, the inclined longitudinal slats c 0 may be used in connection withsaid screen, although they are not indispensable to the successfuloperation of the The slats may also be used alone in place of screen N,although I prefer to use the two in connection, as before described.

When the machineisin operation, the coarse quilled feathers naturallytake the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 2, and should the draftthrough the'hood D be sufficient to draw them up against the slats c 0they will strike against the forwardly-inclined faces ,of said slats andbe withdrawn into case A by the agitator B, or the current producedthereby.

Iam aware of the patent granted January 2, 1877, No. 185,824, to IsaacL. Fisher,for feather-renovating machines, and I do not claim the devicetherein shown, in which a blower is connected by a horizontal pipedirectly wit-h the renovator-case; but

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination. in a feathersorter, of the case A,provided with anair-supply opening, 0, agitator B, hood D,mounted upon and communicatingat its base with the interior of said case, and blower E, connected with.the upper part of said hood, so as to produce an upward draft throughthe same, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a feather-sorter, of the case A, having anair-supply opening, 0, agitator B, hood D, mounted upon andcommunicating with the interior of said case, blower E, connected withthe upper part of said hood, so as to produce an upward draft throughthe same, and screen N, interposed between said case and blower,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with a feather-receptacle having opening or openings0 and an agitator, B, of the hood D, mounted thereon over an openingtherein, screen N, slats 0 a, blower E, and discharge pipe or opening,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, in a feather-sorter, of the case A, having anair-supply opening, (J, agitator B, hood D, mounted upon andcommunicating with the interior of said case, blower E,connected withthe upper part of said hood, so as to prod uce an upward draft throughthe same, and the regulating slide orshutter L, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with a feather-receptacle, A, having opening oropenings 0, of the hood D, mounted thereon and communicating therewith,blower E, blast-pipe G, and leaf H, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

HERMAN PEN N ER.

\Vitnesses:

OHAs. L. Goss, M. E. BENSON.

